Fake Bank Account Scam: Three Arrested for Opening Fake Bank Accounts in Ladki Bahin Scheme Scam in Mumbai
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In a shocking case of cybercrime, Mumbai Police have arrested three individuals who were involved in opening fake bank accounts by falsely promising financial help under the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’. These fake accounts were later used for illegal activities like cyber fraud, money laundering, and trading of black money, officials said.
How the Scam Worked
The fraudsters targeted poor and low-income people, mostly men, and tricked them by saying they would receive ₹1,500 every month from the government under the Ladki Bahin Scheme. However, this scheme is meant only for eligible women, not men.
After gaining their trust, the accused collected documents like Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and bank passbooks from these people and helped them open bank accounts. Once the accounts were opened, the scammers paid the victims a small amount or charged them fees, and then took full control of the accounts.
According to police, the main accused, 25-year-old Avinash Kamble, used to visit slum areas in Vile Parle, especially Nehru Nagar, offering to help people open bank accounts. He charged ₹1,000 for this service. Later, he sold these accounts to cybercriminals for ₹4,000 each.
Scale of the Fraud
A preliminary investigation revealed that the gang may have opened around 2,500 fake bank accounts. Many of these were used to transfer large amounts of money linked to cyber scams and black money conversion. Transactions worth crores of rupees were made through these accounts.
After receiving a complaint from a daily-wage labourer, the Juhu Police began an investigation that led to Kamble’s arrest, followed by two of his accomplices.
Police Action and Recovery
Police acted quickly and froze over 100 bank accounts that were still active and suspected to be part of the scam. They also seized ₹19.43 lakh (₹19,43,779) found in these accounts.
Officials say the investigation is still ongoing, and more arrests are likely as they dig deeper into the money trail and find links to other cybercrime networks.
